Short Summary

ALTERED PERCEPTIONS is a psychological drama that probes the neurology of identity and the age-old problem of mind and brain. What happens when the human brain becomes toxic? When thinking becomes hallucinatory in intensity. When we appear to have lost the emotional, the concrete, the personal aspects of functioning. When our sense of reality is virtually destroyed.

Relevant to the current geo-political undercurrents, this film asks the burning question, “What happens when you are no longer in control of your actions and the human brain becomes toxic.” How do we survive in a nation that disseminates alternative information as reality?  This thriller parallels current events and the state of society in a world where COVID-19 vaccines are being used in the United States as currency to target vulnerable minority groups in an effort to further political agendas.  One senator, Ted Demarcos, is enacting euthanasia policies to attack marginalized groups in an attempt to overturn his lost re-election bid and overthrow the current elected government. Will he succeed?

Written and produced by Wayne C. Dees, who has worked as a clinical neuropsychologist for the past 20 years treating patients who present with a wide range of neurological problems. He previously wrote “Deja Vu” and “Somewhere in the Night (unproduced),” and he co-wrote and produced the musical “Alice in Hollywood” with Alex Forrester (RIP).

Directed by award-winning provocative author, filmmaker, actor and activist Jorge Ameer. Ameer has produced, written and directed countless 35mm comedic shorts films including “My Straight Boyfriend,” “Popcorn & Coke,” “Uninhibited,” “Midnight Snack,” and “Tease.” A human rights activist, Ameer has spent most of his career creating controversial, cutting edge stories with thought provoking subject matters to challenge audiences from the stereotypical social conventions and outdated traditional values which detract from enhancing the global human experience. His films include “Sabor Tropical,” “Strippers,” and “Medusa,” His film “The Family Tree” garnered multiple awards in 2020/2021.

The cast of ALTERED PERCEPTIONS features two Academy Awards nominees, One Golden Globe Winner, one Spirit Award Winner, one Boston Society of Film Critics Award winner, one LA Film Critics Award winner and two actors who combined have performed in over nine hundred and fifty two films. Sally Kirkland is an Academy Award Nominee for “Anna”(1987), Golden Globe winner for “Anna” (1988), Spirit Award winner for “Anna”(1988), LA Film Critics Association Award for “Anna” in addition to the countless accolades for her performances in other films. Ms. Kirkland has acted in over 271 films. Eric Roberts is an Academy Award Nominee for “Runaway Train” (1985), Boston Society of Film Critics Awards for “Star 80″(1983), and 3 time Golden Globe Nominee for “King of the Gypsies” (1979), “Star 80,” and “Runaway Train.” He’s credited with performing in over 681 films.

ALTERED PERCEPTIONS also features outstanding performances by Lynn Lowry “Score,” “Shivers” and “How to Survive a Marriage – who recently received the SSFF Lifetime Achievement Award: (https://vimeo.com/742500824/ace55d0c9b) as well as a multi-talented and diverse cast including  Lance Guest (“The Last Starfighter,” “Ghostbusters,” “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” and “Night of the Comet”); William McNamara “Stealing Home” and “Medusa”; Danny Fehsenfeld “Strippers” and the voice of Lapin in the animated film “Chikenhare & the Hampster of Darkness,” and Soap fans know  him as “Gil” on The Young & The Restless.

The multi-talented cast of ALTERED PERCEPTIONS also includes Brent Bailey (too many movies to count but he stars in many Lifetime movies); Joey Cramer “Flight of the Navigator;” Jose Rosete “Monsters of Man” and “Sabor Tropical;” Joaquin Garay III “Herbie Goes Bananas;” Keith Roenke “The Family Tree,” “Medusa” and “D’Agostino;” Michael Joseph Nelson “The Family Tree;” Matthew Leitch “Band of Brothers” and “Sabor Tropical;” Bennet Guillory “The Color Purple;” AlgeRita Wynn “Medusa” and “Beginners;” Katy Foley “Medusa;”  Jeff Allen “Medusa” and “The Family Tree;” Tom Struckhuff “Medusa;” John Huckert “Hard;” and Torie Tyson “The Family Tree,” “D’Agostino,” “Sabor Tropical,” “Strippers,” and “The Dark Side of Love.” 

Special thanks to our incredible Line Producer, Mauricio Arrioja, who worked tirelessly day and night to bring ALTERED PERCEPTIONS to its current status. Shout out to our sound engineers, Adam Sperry (Los Angeles) and Ivan Torres (Houston), hair/make-up Katie Goldstein, and cinematographer Zach Yan, and many, many others for their hard work throughout principal photography. 

From the Screenwriter:

These are indeed troubling times. As a clinical neuropsychologist for the past 20 years, I have become acutely aware of the increasing division among us, socially, emotionally as well as politically, which impacts us all. I am moved by the struggles we face, as well as the bitter and deep divisions between us, not only as Americans but universally, which I experienced in my clinical practice frequently. As a society, we have rarely been as polarized as we are today, and I feel that one of the root causes of our polarization is the harsh rhetoric that characterizes our political leanings. From these experiences sprang the decision to write ALTERED PERCEPTIONS.

Studies over the past few years clearly illustrate the deep-seated divides and increasingly stark disagreements between us – this includes the economy, racial justice/injustices, law enforcement, climate change, international engagement, core “American” values, and a long list of other issues which we fear may lead to lasting harm to our democracy. ALTERED PERCEPTIONS delves into these issues contemporaneously.

Although American exceptionalism preceded the coronavirus outbreak, the COVID-19 pandemic further revealed just how pervasive the divide in American society is at this time, with most of the country believing that we are more ideologically divided now than before the outbreak. Disagreements relating to scientific trust, COVID vaccinations, mask wearing, contract tracing, fake news, truth vs. opinion, and public and policy response to the crisis has surely changed our lives in many important ways.

But the United States is hardly the only country wrestling with deepening social fissures, which include not just politics and policies, but also cultural conflicts/adaptations, economic anxieties, and the rise in populist parties – creating intensified and common strains in our global economy and interconnectedness of world values and opportunities. The polarizing pressures of race/religion ideologies, the rhetoric of moral outrage, partisan media, societal tensions, power inequities/imbalances, long-standing cultural/historical divides, and social media alienation and a breakdown of trust appear to be worsening across the globe – and the solutions have eluded us.

ALTERED PERCEPTIONS is ultimately a love story, with an LGBTQ+ bent, but it is also a reflection of our universal and familial divisions. It is a story of the love between a father, Dr. Joseph Feretti, and his son, Alex, who struggles with his own demons and longs to find acceptance from his father – both of whom are affectively and politically divided. The issues that divide this father and son are likely the same issues that divide our own families, our country and our worldview. The characters in ALTERED PERCEPTIONS exemplify our struggles to survive amidst increasing polarization contemporaneously.

What We Need & What You Get as an Investor/Donor

ALTERED PERCEPTIONS is currently in post-production. We are seeking funds for this campaign to complete our editing and enter this ground-breaking, contemporary, geo-political psychological thriller into upcoming film festivals worldwide. We are seeking $150,000 US dollars in order to accomplish these goals. You can be an integral part of this movie with a minimum investment of $20 and up.

We have successfully completed all principal photography. The overwhelming support of our incredible cast and crew made brought this feature film to life, with the leadership of multi-award-winning director Jorge Ameer.

Your donations/investments will be amplified many times over thanks to the hard work of our amazing team. Our plan is to submit the completed film to the Cannes Film Festival, with additional submissions to other relevant film festivals, but we cannot do it without your generosity!

With your indispensable help we will be able to share this amazing story with the world. Thank you, in advance, for your support of this Independent Film production! 

Ambassador Status – A $20,000 investment (limit 5 people) will secure the following perks **:

     Executive producer credit on the film

     Copy of the film, “Altered Perceptions” on DVD or Blue Ray

     Behind the Scenes Extras Segments

     Director’s Commentaries and Celebrity Interviews

     2 Still Images from the Production – framed

     Boxed set of 100 Ariztical Entertainment DVDs including LGBT films from around the world

     Advanced digital screening of the final cut of the film with Q & A with director and cast – 5

             tickets for you and friends/family

     Invitation to the first US film festival to preview “Altered Perceptions,” including travel           

            expenses (3 night hotel and coach airfare for 2 people from the continental US to festival

            destination)

     Lunch or dinner with the director Jorge Ameer and 2-3 primary cast members

     Gift bag of promotional items from the film

     One original painting from the movie painted by Jason Van Ostrander

     One Autographed “Altered Perceptions” Movie Poster

     5 “Altered Perceptions” t-shirts featuring the poster from the movie

     “Thank You” credit at the end of the film

** All perks will be delivered prior to or shortly after the first film festival preview

Senator Status – A $10,000 investment (limit 5 people) will secure the following perks **:

     Producer credit on the film

     Copy of the film, “Altered Perceptions” on DVD or Blue Ray

     Director’s Commentaries and Celebrity Interviews

     2 Still Images from the Production – framed

     Boxed set of 50 Ariztical Entertainment DVDs including LGBT films from around the world

     Advanced digital screening of the final cut of the film with Q & A with director and cast

     Invitation to the first US film festival to preview “Altered Perceptions,” including travel       

             expenses  (coach airfare for 2 people in the continental US only to destination)

     Lunch with the director Jorge Ameer and 2-3 cast members

     One original painting from the movie painted by Jason Van Ostrander

     Gift bag of promotional items from the film

     3 “Altered Perceptions” t-shirts featuring the poster from the movie

     One Autographed “Altered Perceptions” Movie Poster

     “Thank You” credit at the end of the film

** All perks will be delivered prior to or shortly after the first film festival preview

Governor Status – A $5,000 investment (limit 10 people) will secure the following perks  **:

     Associate Producer credit on the film

     Copy of the film, “Altered Perceptions” on DVD or Blue Ray

     1 Still Image from the Production – framed

     Boxed set of 25 Ariztical Entertainment DVDs including LGBT films from around the world

     Advanced digital screening of the final cut of the film with Q & A with director and cast

     Invitation to the first US film festival to preview “Altered Perceptions” (does not

               include travel  expenses) – two tickets

     Gift bag of promotional items from the film

     One Autographed “Altered Perceptions” Movie Poster

     One “Altered Perceptions” t-shirt featuring the poster from the movie

     “Thank You” credit at the end of the film

** All perks will be delivered prior to or shortly after the first film festival preview

Representative Status – A $2,500 investment (limit 20 people) will secure the following perks:

      Copy of the film, “Altered Perceptions” on DVD or Blue Ray

      1 Still Image from the Production – framed

      Boxed set of 10 Ariztical Entertainment DVDs including LGBT films from around the world

     Invitation to the Advanced digital screening of the final cut of the film with Q & A with director

           and cast

     Invitation to the first US film festival to preview “Altered Perceptions” (does not

               include travel  expenses) – 2 tickets

     One Autographed “Altered Perceptions” Movie Poster

     One “Altered Perceptions” t-shirt featuring the poster from the movie

     Gift bag of promotional items from the film

** All perks will be delivered prior to or shortly after the first film festival preview

Campaign Manager Status – A $1,000 investment (unlimited) will secure the following perks**:

      Copy of the film, “Altered Perceptions” on DVD or Blue Ray

      Boxed set of 5 Ariztical Entertainment DVDs including LGBT films from around the world

     Invitation to the Advanced digital screening of the final cut of the film with Q & A with director

           and cast (does not include travel expenses) – two tickets

      Gift bag of promotional items from the film

     One “Altered Perceptions” t-shirt featuring the poster from the movie

** All perks will be delivered prior to or shortly after the first film festival preview

Candidate Status – A $250 investment (unlimited) will secure the following perks**:

       Copy of the film, “Altered Perceptions” on DVD or Blue Ray

       Invitation to the Advanced digital screening of the final cut of the film with Q & A with

             director and cast (does not include travel expenses) – two tickets

      Gift bag of promotional items from the film

** All perks will be delivered prior to or shortly after the first film festival preview

Voter Status – A $100 investment (unlimited) will secure the following perks**:

      Gift bag of promotional items from the film

 ** All perks will be delivered prior to or shortly after the first film festival preview

Election Supporter Status – No financial investment needed (unlimited) – for those who cannot contribute financially but would like to help us promote the film internationally,

      You can still be an integral and valuable part of our campaign by spreading the word to your friends and family and coworkers.

     Get the word out about this incredible film and make some noise about us

     Use Indiegogo share tools!

     Terms: If you send information about Altered Perceptions via Social Media to 25 of your contacts, you will be eligible to win one of 10 gift cards (1 – $200; 2 – $100; 3 – $50; 4 – $20) – Drawings will be held in June 2023. To win, simply notify us that you have sent information about Altered Perceptions to a minimum of 25 social media contacts!  

A Few Other Perks

Music – A $1,000 investment (5 spots available) will secure the following:

     Your song/music could be played in the background of a scene in “Altered Perceptions,” or part of a montage at the beginning or end credits of the movie. 

     Link to your music must be submitted to the Producer’s contact email prior to selection and payment for consideration.

     The Director and Executive Producer will make the final decisions/determinations, and placement in the film is non-negotiable.

     Music/compositions will be promoted via social media as part of the film’s publicity campaign and edited by the Production company to fit the requirements of the film.

Director’s Commentary Promotion – A $1,500 investment (5 spots available) will secure the following:

     Director Jorge Ameer will introduce the five supporters/brands/products in the commentary section of the film’s DVD/Blue Ray extras package.

    Director Jorge Ameer will introduce your brand/product as a “sponsor”  and “brought to you by” in the Extras section of the physical media.

     Presentation of your product/service/brand will be 15-30 seconds.

Movie Trailer Promotion – A $1,500 investment (3 spots available) will secure the following:

     Your product/service/brand will be presented in the official Trailer of the movie in the Extras section of the physical media.

     Presentation of your product/service/brand will be 15-30 seconds.

Celebrity Interview – A $1,500 investment (3 spots available) will secure the following:

     Your product/service/brand will be presented in the Celebrity Interview section of the physical media.

     Presentation of your product/service/brand will be 15-30 seconds.

Video Branding Promotion – A $1,500 investment (3 spots available) will secure the following:

     Your product/service/brand will be promoted in a 60-second spot in the Extras section of the film.

     HD video will be supplied by the product/service/brand client for inclusion in the physical media.

Product Placement/Promotion – A $1,000 investment (5 spots available) will secure the following:

     Your brand/image/product/service image will be presented as part of the DVD/Blue Ray Collectibles Extras media.

     You or your spokesperson will be filmed as you present your brand/image/product/service which will be included in the DVD/Blue Ray package.

Please Support Independent Films and Filmmakers

We totally understand that some people just can’t contribute financially, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help. You can help promote ALTERED PERCEPTIONS by:

Getting the word out there through your own SOCIAL MEDIA.

Getting connected to us and letting us know your ideas on how we can excel in reaching our goals.

Get to know us and we would love to get to know you. 

We appreciate your support of Independent Films worldwide. Thank you for your consideration of our film. Your support is now more important than ever.

Check out this video: https://youtu.be/G3lGLa5Ob9c

Check out the ALTERED PERCEPTIONS website: www.alteredperceptionsmovie.com